Slade's Manipulation
by Alchemeister
Summary: When Raven gets stuck in Nevermore with Rage controlling her body, the Titans try their hardest to help. Who did this? Why did they do this? Where is Raven anyway? In the end, how can they help her stop herself? A Teen Titans fanfic based on the 2003 series and set a couple years or so after Trouble in Tokyo. Any feedback in any form is greatly appreciated. Part 1/? of series.
1. Chapter 1: The Fall

The sun was beating down on Titans tower, no hint of clouds in the sky for the moment. A year or so had passed since the Titan's Tokyo trip. Training had just finished and the team was spending their free time, well, freely. Robin was running through the obstacle course, continuing his training session. He had relaxed a little after he and Starfire started dating, but knew he had to stay fit, being the only member without powers of some sort. Cyborg was working on his car, repairing any dents from the last battle. The T-Car was still his pride and joy, though his friends knew there was something happening between him and Bumblebee. Starfire was in the kitchen making another bizarre recipe for her friends while Beast boy was playing video games in the front room. He must've been close to sixteen and his maturity had grown with him for the most part. He still played the occasional prank but not as extreme as his younger self. To no one's surprise, Raven was on the roof, meditating. Her powers had continued to grow, but with them came more meditation.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos."

This was her favorite meditation spot. The waves provided the perfect amount of white noise, and the salt air. The rest of the Titans didn't frequent the roof as much, so interruptions weren't as common. And focus was key today, as she had had a vision. She had been so worried that morning that she had skipped breakfast and went straight to the roof before training.

Raven's cape billowed around her as she floated in midair. Her hair tickled the back of her neck as the breeze blew through it. Suddenly, she felt a pinprick at the base of her scalp before a shock sent down her spine paralyzed her. She cried out before falling into unconsciousness. The force of gravity and the shock caused her to roll towards the edge of the roof. She almost remained on the edge. Almost.

* * *

Beast boy saw through the window a dark blur fall past. On instinct, he jumped through the window and turned into a hummingbird. _That's Raven!_ He thought frantically. He transformed into a pterodactyl and, just barely, caught and lowered her to safety. She was breathing, but not waking up. "Guys! S-something's wrong with Raven!" Beast boy stammered into his communicator.

The Titans rushed to their location. Raven was still unconscious. Starfire gasped, "What has happened to her?"

"All I know is that she fell from the roof..." Beast boy gulped.

"Her vitals are normal, but I can't know more until I run more tests..." Cyborg muttered as he picked up Raven.

The team rushed up the jagged rocks as quickly as the terrain would allow. Just as they made it to the tower, however, the alarm blared. Robin sprinted to the computer. "Looks like Cinderblock is on the loose again. Cyborg, stay with Raven, we'll deal with Cinderblock."

* * *

"Uhh," Raven moaned. Her vision was blurry, her head throbbed, and she felt like she was going to puke. She lay there, trying to collect herself. Eventually, in spite of how she felt, she forced her eyes fully open and took in her fuzzy surroundings. "What?" she whispered in confusion. Even through the haze, she recognized where she was. _How did I get here without my portal?_

"We aren't quite sure, but we've got a problem." Brave spoke quickly and helped Raven up. Her balance was skewed to the left and pain shot through her. But she remained standing nonetheless. Brave pointed up at Rage. But Raven had already sensed the trouble.

"We need to act quickly..." Nevermore looked the same as ever: floating rock pathways in a red speckled black sky. Leaf-less trees were sprinkled everywhere with black birds perched all around.

"While you were unconscious I gathered everyone" chimed Knowledge.

Raven gingerly took a step forward on her own. _I hope I can do this..._

* * *

"Hmm, there seems to be some sort of drug in your system... But what could it be?" Cyborg pondered aloud to Raven. This was one of many questions he had. _Who did this to you? Why you? How did they do it?_ An hour or so had passed since the rest of the team had left. Cyborg was about to call them on the communicator when they rushed in.

"Find anything?" Robin inquired. Starfire immediately went to Raven's bedside.

"She's got this drug in her system. I've deduced that that must be what's keeping her from waking. Her brain activity is also off the charts..."

Robin took the information and mulled it over. _Who has the kind of resources to do this? Not many people can sneak up on Raven, especially while she's_ \- But he didn't have long before trouble was back. The alarm thundered through the tower. "What now...?" he muttered under his breath in frustration. Cyborg brought the information onto his interface.

"Great, now we gotta deal with Plasmus!"

"Aw, man! How'd he get out again?!" Beast boy whined.

"No, you stay here and continue tests. We'll deal with Plasmus" Robin ordered. Starfire threw her gaze backward as she flew, worry etched into her face.

* * *

 _Are you sure you can handle this...?_ whispered Timid.

"I have to" replied Raven. _I have no choice, otherwise I can harm my friends._ Raven and her emotions were combined now, ready to fight. Her vision was still slightly blurry and her head continued to pound, but the added strength of her personalities steadied her movements. They approached Rage as quickly as they could. "Why don't you stay in your place?!"

Rage's four eyes looked nastier than ever before. She had grown in size like the last time they fought like this, but she retained her Raven features. "I will conquer you this time. I guarantee it." And thus the battle had begun. Rage sprinted at Raven, bringing her arm back for a punch. Raven narrowly dodged the blow, thrown off by the nature of the attack. She returned with a well-aimed kick but was too slow. Rage took her foot and twisted. Raven lost balance and fell flat on her face.

 _Ow._ She rolled over and directed dark energy at Rage's face. But Rage had already sent her own energy at her. The two energies fought to gain more area. _I can't... hold it... much... longer_ Raven thought in fear. The red energy inched closer and closer until it reached her and blasted the personalities apart. Before Raven blacked out she heard Rage in the distance.

"Your body is now mine."

* * *

The titans, drenched in worry for their comrade, were slower with their attacks against Plasmus. It took a whole minute before Starfire followed up Robin's attack of freeze disks. Their minds were elsewhere, and their focus was off. Another 45 seconds before Beast boy realized it was his turn. Robin saved Starfire from a toxic bath as Plasmus took advantage of the pause in attacks. Quickly Robin realized why the fight was lasting as long as it was. "Guys, we need to focus, otherwise this is could continue on for hours. We don't have that kind of time."

Starfire acknowledged this and let it fuel her fury. Beast boy had to keep shaking his head violently, the images of Raven falling through the air invading his thoughts. Plasmus noticed this and decided to descend on him next. "Beast boy!" Starfire called, trying to make him realize that he was a target. "No. You will not hurt my friend!" she roared. She followed this statement with enough star bolts to redirect Plasmus's path to a wall. Starfire immediately flew to Beast boy. "You are uninjured?" she asked.

"Yea, thanks, Starfire" he replied. The team regrouped, formulated a better strategy, based on trapping the creature and knocking it out instead of random attacks, and finally defeated Plasmus.

"Come on team, we need to get back to the tower."


	2. Chapter 2: The Cry For Help

**Systems back online. Battery 34%.**

"Cyborg? Cyborg!" Cyborg could hear his friends' desperate cries. "Is his battery dead again?" "That doesn't explain the mess..." "Dude you need to wake up!"

"Give him some space, it looks like he's coming to."

As Cyborg sat up, they bombarded him with questions. It all melded together and he couldn't separate any of the voices. "Guys, let me handle this" he heard Robin take over. Cyborg finally opened his eyes. The sight he saw wasn't pretty. The infirmary was, for the most part, destroyed. Curtains were torn, walls singed, and shattered glass sprinkled on the floor. Raven was also missing from her cot. To top it all off, his friends were smelly and covered in remnants from Plasmus. As he processed it all his memory came flooding back. According to his internal watch, an hour or two had passed since the alarm for Plasmus had blared.

"What do you remember?" Robin inquired.

"Well, I was continuing more tests to figure out what the drug was. I needed some blood samples from Raven. Just as I inserted the needle, she woke up. But it wasn't... her. Remember our first fight with Dr. Light? She looked like that again." Cyborg paused, recalling the dead red eyes locked on his. "She looked from me to the needle and started to attack me. I guess I'm the one who did most of the damage here... That's all I remember."

"I guess we just found out what the drug does," Beast boy remarked.

* * *

"This newfound freedom is... invigorating." Rage remarked to herself. She was currently wandering the streets of Jump City. The concrete jungle was fascinating, a whole different experience up close. _With Her gone, I can do whatever I please._

"Mommy, Mommy! Can we pleeease go to the park later?" a high-pitched voice squealed.

 _How infuriating. Children are a nuisance. I should take care of her._ But Rage was interrupted.

 _"What could you possibly do? And how do you expect to go unnoticed?"_ inquired Knowledge.

Rage growled _. Knowledge has a point..._

 _"You think you're such a bigshot just because you took over. Newsflash! You need to play it cool in the real world."_ Rude said nastily.

 _I'd like to see you try this!_ Rage barked back.

" _Let me have control and I will!"_ Brave retorted.

" _Can we please stop fighting?"_ Timid whispered.

 _Leave me alone. I can handle this._

* * *

Raven woke with a start, remembering the events of the morning. _Or is it afternoon? How long have I been here?_ She gathered herself once again as quickly as she could. Her body continued to ache and her head throbbed. _Guess that's not going away anytime soon..._ she thought grumpily. She knew she had to reach out to the team. Preferably Robin as he could formulate the best plan of attack on whatever this was.

"Azarath Metrion ... Zinthos" she muttered, putting emphasis on the last word. Her soul-self embodied a raven and took off to find her friends. She quickly found them still in the infirmary. She tried to keep the fact that it was destroyed out of her mind. Raven kept in mind that she only had five minutes to return to her body. She spoke with them all through their minds in a monotonous tone. "I don't know what caused this, but I am trapped inside myself. My emotion Rage has taken control of my body. I can try to stop her from inside, but I don't know what she will accomplish in the meantime. Whatever did this was powerful on its own without my mirror, so- UGH." Rage pulled Raven back into her body.

 _"Your petty friends cannot stop me."_

* * *

"Oh! Our poor friend Raven! I hope she is alright!" Starfire gulped. The 'transmission' had been cut off before anyone had truly taken in her words. And they couldn't play it back since Cyborg had been moved to his room to recharge.

"She can handle herself," Robin consoled Starfire.

"I don't know about you guys, but all I caught was something about her mirror..." Beast boy added.

"What mirror was she referring to Beast boy?" the boy wonder requested.

"So, remember when Cy, Raven, and I were gone for hours in her room? Well, really I might've messed with her mirror which is really a portal into her head. We wandered around a bit until she came and tried to kick us out but Rage, which is like this huge dude that looks like Trigon, attacked. We stayed and helped her kick his (or her?) butt and were back for dinner! So no harm, no foul?" Beast boy laughed sheepishly.

"So our friend Raven needs help defeating her father again?" Starfire asked, clearly confused.

"I don't think so Star. I think she needs help defeating herself."

* * *

 _"Why do you have to be so troublesome?!"_ Rage fumed.

"Oh, it's definitely not because I want my body back" Raven retorted.

Even with Raven being as weak as she was, and without her emoticlones, their second fight was longer. Rage's attacks were sluggish compared to before. "Controlling my body proving tiresome?" At this Rage staggered slightly from exhaustion.

She turned her face toward Raven with an evil grin on her face. _"It is worth it. As long as I can keep you subdued I will remain in control."_

Raven scowled at her emoticlone. _I need to regain my strength._ Without warning, Raven used her energy to send several boulders at Rage. As she was distracted, Raven then used her remaining strength and disappeared using her spirit-self.

"Dammit. She will not be able to hide for long..."

* * *

"How'd you do it before Beast boy?"

The sun was setting in the distance. Beast boy had spent the afternoon explaining what had exactly happened during Cyborg and his trip to Raven's mind.

"Well, I was just holding it like this and then BAM!" He demonstrated and before the trio had been able to develop a plan, the mirror took hold of each of them. Their screams echoed throughout the trans-dimensional tunnel. Beast boy landed on his butt, Starfire floated down, and Robin somersaulted into a crouch.

"That could've gone a little smoother..." Robin muttered to himself. They were on a rock floating in the middle of nowhere.

"Argh! I hope one of Raven's emotions will find and help us again!" Beast boy whined.

Just as Robin was about to ask Beast boy more questions, like how to get off the rock, a path was made for the trio before their eyes. "Let us follow the path before us?" Starfire implored.

Robin just gave a curt nod and took Starfire's hand.

* * *

"All right! That was a nice recharge!" The sun was rising, night having passed without notice. Cyborg rose from his 'bed' in search of the infirmary. But when he reached it, all he found was Raven's magic mirror among the rubble. "I don't even want to know..." he muttered. He started repairing the damage of the fight from the previous morning. Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him. He didn't approach the mirror, but he checked the other Titan's locations. The tiny dots confirmed his suspicions. "Alright, I'll just stay behind" he grunted, thinking he got the short stick for the day. His communicator started to beep as the alarm in the tower blared once again. Cyborg pulled up the information from the alarm and moaned.

 _Why am I the one who has to fight her?_


	3. Chapter 3: Chaos in the Park

_If she will run and hide, I will wreak havoc._ Rage had spent the night exploring and getting to know Jump City. _The Titans already know, so why not have a little fun?_ She began by terrorizing citizens who happened to look at her funny, which was pretty much everyone. By the time Cyborg arrived, she had reached a park and it was saturated with dark energy.

"C'mon Raven, I don't want to hurt you!" Cyborg shouted across the park.

The voice that emerged from her mouth was not Raven's usual monotone. It sent shivers down Cyborg's robotic spine. "You truly believe that I am the Raven you know? You know nothing about us then." She wrapped dark energy around him and hurled him to the right into trees. She then proceeded to hurl various objects at him, but Cyborg didn't find it hard to keep up. _How dare he call himself our friend when he is oblivious to her emotions!_ Rage ranted inwardly. Street lights began bursting. Signs bent into awkward angles. Various objects skyrocketed into the air.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ Cyborg groaned internally.

* * *

"Oh, friends! You weren't injured were you?" A purple cloaked Raven came rushing at the trio, hugging each in turn. The shock on each one's face was evident though they did expect this. Beast boy's explanation had included the emotions Cyborg and him had encountered.

She pulled out of the final hug with Starfire, who had taken the chance to cherish the moment. "So, what do you need?" Purple Raven asked. Her eyes were bright and her mouth upturned in a playful smirk.

"Erm," Robin started. "We actually came to help you. Or, well, erm..." His hand instinctively went to the back of his neck.

"The main Raven" Beast boy finished boldly. The quicker they could find Raven, the quicker they could leave.

Purple Raven took no offense. "Oh, well she's hiding from Rage right now. You probably don't want to get caught up in that. She definitely doesn't want you to. She loves you guys too much to see you get hurt because of her."

The Titans were now dumbstruck. "Then why'd she send us that message specifically mentioning her mirror?" Robin inquired.

"Beats me. Maybe she wanted you to meet me! I've been dying to pop-up, but Raven hates it when I do..."

"Wait wait wait" Beast boy said, astonished. "Raven _loves_ us?" He looked incredulously at Purple Raven. "Are you sure? Pretty sure she barely tolerates me at this point."

Purple Raven chuckled. "Well she would either use that term very very lightly or not at all, but yea" she responded.

Starfire narrowed her eyes. "Are you Raven's emotion Love?"

Purple Raven giggled. "Raven hates calling me that. She prefers Passion. But I answer to both."

* * *

The sun beat down on their necks, now directly above them high in the sky. The clouds seemed to skirt around the star, afraid of its seemingly hotter rays.

The air on the battlefield was thick with fury. Raven continued to be reckless, fueling her anger more when Cyborg was seemingly untouched. The park was overturned by now and she realized, luckily, that if she didn't flee, she would be captured soon. Exhaustion was starting to pull at her conscious, so with the remaining energy she had she stepped into a shadow.

For a minute, Cyborg thought that she had passed out there and then. But when the dust cleared and her body wasn't on the pavement, Cyborg swore. "I was close to getting to her too! Where could she have gone now?" He started to wander the streets, debating where to search first. He checked his scanners for her location, the smallest hope that she didn't ditch her communicator. But before he had the chance to scan a larger area, he got a distress signal.

"Great, just great. Can we not get a break?!" Cyborg reached the power plant to find Overload trying to, well, overload the system.

"Yo, Sparky!" Cyborg exclaimed, getting the villain's attention. Before Cyborg could fully charge his cannon (his mistake), Overload, well, overpowered him. "WOOOAAAHH!" Cyborg boomed. He landed in a heap by the fire extinguisher. _Gotta make this quick,_ he thought frantically. Luckily Overload was directly under a sprinkler head so Cyborg took his chance.

"Yea, I've got him right here. Can you guys come and pick him up? Thanks." After alerting prison transport, Cyborg continued his search for Raven, hoping she didn't have too much of a head start.

* * *

As the group walked along the rocky terrain, Starfire and Passion were talking the whole time, giggling about various things. Robin and Beast boy trailed behind, the latter jumping at anything that moved and the leader sorting through his thoughts. _Who could sneak up on Raven?_ He ran through a list of known villains in his head, but none of them had the power, or brains, to do this as far as Robin knew.

"Hmm, she should be around here somewhere..." Passion remarked. They soon stumbled, or really tripped, on a brown-cloaked Raven. Passion apologized and lowered her face to Brown Raven. "Have you seen Raven recently?"

This new Raven, at least to the Titans, looked, at the very least, disheveled. Her hair was greasy and unkempt. Dirt could be seen on her skin, but the color of her cloak disguised how soiled it was. It appeared that she was in the middle of lounging on the dusty ground. "Nope, why not ask Knowledge?" she answered.

Passion threw her palm to her forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

* * *

The sun was beginning its decent and the moon was coming out to play. The clouds skipped through the sky while they still could before the stars dominated it. The streets of Jump City were safe for now as Cyborg had impeded any crimes as he saw them.

He located Raven after stopping a weapons exchange on the pier. She still had her communicator which indicated she was close. When he approached her hiding spot, an abandoned warehouse, she was out cold. Afraid to awaken the beast so to speak, Cyborg tiptoed as best he could over to her sleeping form.

 _Aw man, I don't want to have to fight her. But I need to get her back to the tower so she doesn't destroy anything else. I guess I have no choice..._ He stabbed her with a needle containing a heavy sedative. She gasped but did not awake. "I'm sorry Rae..."

He lifted her into his arms and rushed to the tower, praying the sedative would last long enough. _Please, no more bad guys please no more bad guys..._

* * *

Knowledge was minding her own business as per usual. The books in her library kept her company: all of Raven's memories. This part of Raven's mind could only be accessed by the sunshine colored girl and was her favorite place to be. She could think in peace, without the other emoticlones distracting her. She was desperately trying to figure out how Rage became so powerful so quickly and why Raven was so weak. _Rage had been so good in the past few months... maybe a tantrum here or there but manageable._

A tingle then shot up her spine, the kind when you _feel_ something is wrong. Knowledge proceeded to the most recent book: Raven's most present memories. She flipped through the pages until she found what the problem was. Actually there were several problems.


	4. Chapter 4: More Than One Problem

"KNOWLEDGE! KNOWLEDGE!" Passion called out as the team progressed down the path. "Hmm, she usually answers by now. She must be busy" she remarked.

"Busy? How can she be busy?" Beast boy marveled.

"Saving Raven, obviously. Damn, how ignorant can you get?" a voice drawled behind the group. The titans swiveled on their spots to be face to face with an orange cloaked Raven. Her hood was pulled up, unlike the emotions they had thus encountered.

"Maybe we can help! How is she helping? Oh, may you lead us to Knowledge Orange Raven?" Starfire pleaded.

"Why the hell would I know how she's helping? That's her job, not mine." Orange Raven huffed.

"Stop being so crude, don't you care for Raven's wellbeing? Don't you want to help her?" Passion countered.

"First of all, _it's my fucking nature_. Second we all know that if Raven's gone then Rage will never take over. If Raven dies, the possibility of her demon side destroying what you love is zero, Passion. Rage isn't the only stepping stone. Take out the source and bingo! The world might have a future without her."

Beast boy and Starfire were silent with shock. They never knew, or acknowledged, how scared Raven must've been of her dark side, and in turn how much she loathed herself.

"How could you say that about yourself?" Robin voiced, his eyes heavy with concern. He knew they were seeing Raven's raw emotions: her uncensored feelings and thoughts about her life, friends, and herself. _This is what she must've meant about the areas of her mind no one should see..._

The shadow under the hood quivered, but just barely. "Oh don't give me that. Everyone has thought it at least once. Don't try making this a pity party, bird boy."

* * *

Cyborg had managed to get Raven back to the tower before she awoke. He definitely wasn't taking any chances and put her on anesthetics to keep her that way. He didn't initially notice, but she was covered with cuts, scrapes, and bruises from head to toe. Her right wrist was swollen, red and appeared to be sprained, if not broken. Her right ankle didn't look right either.

 _Have you always been this prone to injuries, I mean seriously? Either way, why aren't you healing yourself?_ Cyborg mentally inquired to himself. He tended to her wounds as best he could. The bags under her eyes were more prominent up close.

 _She must be exhausted. That must be why I found her passed out. But why? She didn't seem to use a whole lot of energy back there..._ He heard a stomach growl, but it wasn't his. A moan escaped Raven's dry, cracked lips and Cyborg realized yet another thing.

 _She hasn't consumed anything since this whole thing started has she! I don't recall seeing her at breakfast that morning..._ "What's wrong? Why haven't you been taking care of yourself?" Cy mused aloud. He connected an IV to her arm, hoping to offset some of her dehydration, though slightly hesitant in fear of waking her (even if she was currently drugged). He connected a second IV as well for anesthetics, just in case.

 _I hope the guys figure this out soon..._

* * *

 _I never knew how nice sleep felt. How long does it usually last I wonder..._

 _ **Idiot. You're not supposed to be sleeping. You still have work to do.**_

 _Don't call me an idiot. And I can do as I please, no one will tell me what to do._

 _ **I helped you gain this power, and you're not using it very well. If you don't do it, I will take over and do it for you.**_

 _No. I won't let you._

 _"Rage? Are you listening?" spoke Knowledge._

 _Why should I? You only care for Raven._

 _"If you continue at the rate you're going, you will destroy us all."_

 _How so huh?_

 _"Well, we all know Raven didn't sleep last night so you're controlling a sleep-deprived body. We also know Raven didn't eat this morning. Have you eaten or drunken anything since you took over?"_

 _Well, no but I can do this on my own! Be gone, I don't need your help!_

And thus Rage fell into her blissful sleep once more, her exhaustion taking over.

* * *

"Rude is right... The thought has come to mind many times. I just love you guys and the Earth too much to put it in danger. But that's why I hope Raven will prevail and overcome Rage" Passion acknowledged.

"Well with things as they are now honey, that hope will be pointless."

"Are you going to help us or just bully Raven some more?" Beast boy barked. Seeing this side of Raven angered him.

Rude rolled her eyes. "We've been here moron. Knowledge is through that door last time I checked."

"Dude, we have not moved a single-" Beast boy's jaw went slack. The rock they were standing on stopped at the gray walls of a building. Arches formed the entrance with oak doors sealing the way. They couldn't see the roof from their position, but it seemed endless.

"Knowledge! We have guests! They came to help!" Passion called through the doors. No response.

"YO! Knowledge! You want help or not?!" Rude bellowed.

Knowledge appeared in front of them. Her bespectacled eyes narrowed and her lip thinned. "I am very busy if you haven't noticed. Sorting through memories and thoughts is very time-consuming. How do you want to help?" she responded curtly.

"However we can. But should we start by finding Raven?" Robin asked.

"She is concealing herself from everyone though I do think she will appear soon. I think you'll find what you are looking for if you stay here. Otherwise, I cannot think of a way you can aid me. I am the only one who can enter here and I've really got to get back, many things are happening and I need to plan..." She proceeded to enter the building once more.

"Excuse me, what do you mean by 'many things are happening'? May you tell us?" Starfire inquired.

Knowledge's head fell. "Rage is destroying this body, I haven't figured out what sorcery is behind this, and Raven is wandering around in here incapable of teleporting and getting help quickly. The only way I can help is if I have answers for her when she comes." She then rushed inside before anyone could ask another question.

* * *

Raven was wandering through her mind, trying to stay hidden. Not only was her head pounding and stomach doing flips, she was as exhausted as Rage, still connected with her body. _Worst. Day. Ever._ The hunger pangs didn't help with her nausea and her throat was dry with thirst. _Focus._ Her body in here reflected her outward body, displaying every cut and bruise. _Calm down. Azarath Metrion -._ As the cherry on top, her vision was blurry, again. _Why do I even try? The world would be better off._ The thought just popped into her head. _No, everything I love wouldn't be. Keep hope and prevail._

 _Why am I thinking this now, of all times?!_ Raven thought furiously. The two thoughts had disrupted her thin concentration. _I need to plan._ Another thought pushed its way to the surface. Then it dawned on her. _Did they really enter my mind? Again?!_ The pounding became stronger and her stomach somersaulted.

 _Rage wouldn't consult Knowledge... I'll go to her._ As quickly as she could travel in her state, Raven went to Knowledge's library. _Rage really doesn't know how to avoid injury._ Her ankle was sprained making movement rather difficult. She couldn't use her powers due to exhaustion though she was feeling slightly refreshed. _Rage must be sleeping, finally._ But it didn't last long. She used the little energy she could muster to get to her destination. At last, through the haze she saw Beast boy, his skin a stark difference to their surroundings, before collapsing.


	5. Chapter 5: The Search For Bravery

"So we're just supposed to wait here until something happens?" Beast boy remarked.

As he finished his statement, Rude and Passion passed out. Luckily Starfire and Robin were standing next to them and caught them. Nearby they heard a large thump. "What was that?" Starfire gasped.

From where the group stood they spotted a pale hand sticking out from behind a boulder. "Raven?" Robin exclaimed in alarm. As Beast boy approached her, Rude and Passion seemed to evaporate.

"Oh, why is Raven so injured?" Starfire quaked. On top of the injuries Raven had already taken note of, the Titans noticed that her skin was paler, if that was even possible.

"W-why are you guys here?" They heard the softest voice behind them. "It's very dangerous and Raven's weak and she may not be able to send you back and if you guys get hurt it will be all my fault-" The gray-cloaked Raven, Beast boy recognized her as Timid, bawled. "She needs help but this is too difficult and I can't do anything, Rage is too strong..." Timid sank to her knees continuing to speak softly and rashly.

"Timid, it's not your fault and we know that." Beast boy explained as Starfire carried the main Raven over to Timid.

"Yes, Timid? We chose to come here to help and we will stay as long as it takes." Starfire added.

"Raven, believe us when we say we are here for you. We all will get through this. Just tell us how we can help." Robin concluded.

Timid's eyes were brimming with tears as she looked up. "But if Rage isn't stopped, you all will be trapped here forever. You'll hate me forever..."

"Come on, we never hated you and we never will. This wasn't your fault! And who said we won't win? Raven stopped the end of the world once, what says she won't stop this?!" Beast boy exclaimed in excitement, trying to rally Timid on.

This stopped Timid from crying and voicing her worries for a little bit. She managed to stand on her own as well though she looked as if the slightest breeze might knock her over. "Do you know what's wrong with Raven?" Robin inquired.

"Knowledge would know, I think. But we all seem to be weak and I need Brave to get her attention..."

* * *

Another night had passed without incident. Cyborg had slept in the infirmary to keep an eye on Raven's condition. The first time he left was for breakfast, which he made quickly.

 _What the...?!_ Cyborg thought. His wide eyes narrowed in concern as he looked over Raven's body again. _I leave for five minutes and her condition worsens? This can't be because of the anesthetic, it's not strong enough..._ Raven's skin was almost transparent and her heartbeat was erratic.

 _What's causing this?_ Cyborg ran through the symptoms in his head. _It's almost like she doesn't know how to take care of herself, but that's not-"_ OH!" He exclaimed aloud. Once he connected Raven's behavior and remembered what he woke up to (missing team, creepy magic mirror), everything made sense. Sometimes even smart people can be a little slow on the uptake.

* * *

"So, from what I understand, we are interacting with Raven's most raw of emotions?" Starfire asked Robin. The group was traveling again, searching for Brave. Beast boy was seemingly trying to comfort Timid as they walked while Robin explained why what just happened with Timid had just happened. Starfire was carrying Raven in her arms with ease.

"Yes, that's what I've deduced."

"Oh, we'll never find Brave at this rate!" Timid's voice carried back to them, despair dripping from the statement.

"Well, would we be able to make Brave appear if we made Raven feel brave?" Starfire proposed.

Robin stopped in his tracks. "That's brilliant Starfire!" He called Timid and Beast boy back. "Now what makes people feel bravery?" he proposed to the group. They pondered for some time since they never really dwelled on this kind of thing.

"Um, well, what exactly is bravery?" Beast boy asked tentatively, feeling like he should know the answer.

"Bravery is-" Starfire exclaimed before cutting herself off.

Laughter could be heard ahead of the group's path. "Superheroes who can't define bravery? Hilarious!" All the group could see was a pink cloak huddled over. Eventually, she raised her head and ceased her laughing.

Starfire quickly placed Raven on the ground and flew over to the new emoticlone. "Are you Brave?" she voiced towards her.

"Oh, that's another good one! Me? Brave? Oh, you're killing me here!" She broke into another fit of laughter.

"H-happy? D-do you k-know where Brave is?" Timid's voice was barely heard over the laughter, but Happy ceased her fit and looked at her seriously.

"Knowledge doesn't know?" she asked, clearly confused.

Sheepishly, Timid admitted, "I-I need her h-help to get Knowledge's attention."

"Oh! Why didn't you say so?!" Immediately she grabbed Timid by the arm and dragged her (literally) back to Knowledge's Library. The Titans quickly gathered Raven and followed suit.

* * *

The cave was cold and damp in the Jump City night. The rocks were slick with moss and dew from the fog. The air was thick with the scent of the bay rolling in. Anyone exploring the area wouldn't be able to stumble upon the secret entrance in the back. The concealed office did not feel the effects of the fog and waves.

"I wish I didn't have to resort to this location, but the Titans destroyed the main one..." he said off-handedly to his butler.

"Yes, Master Wilson, that is unfortunate." Wintergreen started placing a teacup and food on the desk the man was facing.

"But it looks as though my plan is working. Not exactly as I originally thought, but it is playing out nicely." Slade took a sip from his cup, proud of his work.

Wintergreen stood to the side, a look of puzzlement on his face. "I'm sorry sir, but what was the point of 'taking out' the Titan Raven?"

Slade smirked. "Well if you haven't figured it out already, you'll have to wait and see."

* * *

Knowledge opened her eyes to find herself on the floor of her library. She knew right away that some time had passed by her internal clock. _I'm running out of time. Think, how to save Raven._ She began pacing the room, running from shelf to shelf, desperate for a clue.

Several books flew from the shelves as Knowledge rummaged through Raven's memories, thoughts, secrets, everything. She sped read through every book she thought relevant, and then some. Knowledge delved deep, searching in the books from Raven's time before Earth, in Azarath. The emotions tied to these thoughts had no effect on Knowledge, but she knew they were there. They weren't exactly distinguishable, like happy and sad, but mixed together.

The realization of what needed to be done slapped her in the face.

The group could see Knowledge's library in the distance. "Did we really walk this far away from it?" Beast boy asked dazedly.

"Here in Nevermore everything is in a different perspective compared to Earth. Time and distance always change. We sometimes even go backward!" Happy chimed.

"That is the name of this dimension? Nevermore?" Starfire requested.

"Y-yes, the monks w-who helped Raven c-created this d-dimension" Timid stuttered.

Before anything else could be said, they were in front of the library and Knowledge rushed to the group. She touched Raven's forehead, who was still in Starfire's arms. Raven's eyes immediately opened and the Titans started the interrogation.

"Raven! What happened? Are you okay? What can we do? Can we help? Why did you want us here?" The questions and overwhelming emotions seemed to go on for hours until Raven closed her eyes and screamed "Enough!"

The silence that followed allowed her to recollect herself. Having been aware of everything despite being unconscious, this being her head and all, she knew the situation. Knowledge had also transferred her findings to Raven when she touched her.

When she slowly opened her eyes, she stated, "one question at a time, please."

Robin began: "What happened exactly? Your original message wasn't clear and rushed."

Raven carefully explained what had happened, leaving out her vision the night before that had led to the meditation in the first place. "Whatever I was shot with must have involved dark magic or something equivalent" she concluded.

Beast boy came next, nearly hysterical with "why did you want us here?!"

"I never asked you to come, actually. I mentioned my mirror in confusion as to how this happened in the first place." Her look was hard, but as she looked to Starfire's sorry look, it softened.

"Is there any way we can help since we are here?" Starfire finished.

Raven blushed slightly as she asked, "may you continue to carry me?" She was still physically weak, but spiritually and mentally she was regaining power so to speak. Her teammates had a lot to do with this, though she wouldn't admit it.


	6. Chapter 6: A New Controller

_**You need to wake up. We had a bargain.**_

Rage for once was at peace, continuing to slumber away. If she did try, she couldn't wake up, though she didn't really want to. _Relax dark one, I am exhausted._

 _ **I have a mission and as I stated before, I do not need you to complete it.**_ The mysterious figure that had given Rage this power stalked off in a determined state of mind. Rage never saw their face and began to wonder what it looked like. Then she wondered why they had never shown them self to her.

 _Does that being think they're better than me to not show their appearance?!_ Rage felt belittled by this realization. _They're not better than me, and I'll stop them._ As she ran through the plan the figure had given her to complete, she connected the dots. _They mean to destroy Raven! That will destroy me too!_ This newfound anger fueled Rage to awaken fully. But she did not awake to where she was expecting. _How the hell did I end up back here?!_

She woke up back in Nevermore, not in Raven's body, and she could see the Titans in the distance.

* * *

In the infirmary, Raven's vitals slowed to a normal pace again. Cyborg had been pacing for hours, concerned about the effects of continuous stress on her body would do. When the sound of consistent beeps filled the room, he almost fainted with relief. He wasn't sure if Raven, almost his little sister, would make it, and he didn't want to lose her. They had been through too much. "She's strong, she'll make it." He continued the mantra in his head, trying to convince himself out of worry.

Suddenly, Cyborg heard a growl from the bed. Raven's eyes were wide open, but nothing like he'd ever seen. He was looking into a set of four, unblinking, black eyes.

"R-raven?" Cyborg asked nervously.

As soon as he spoke, Raven, or whatever was controlling her, violently fought the restraints. _So, not Raven..._ "Sorry, but whatever I make, no one can break!" he said with pride.

"Fool, I will complete my mission, and no one can stop me." A dead voice escaped her lips.

 _Yea, sure...time for more anesthetics._ Cyborg remotely gave another dose (or two, for good measure) to Raven through the IVs. Raven's black eyes widened as she felt the drug take over. Before she fell unconscious (again), the dead voice rang out once more: "You will not contain me for long!"

 _They really need to hurry up!_ Cyborg thought frantically.

* * *

"So, we need to find your other 'emoticlones'?" Beast boy asked, emphasizing the quotation marks with his fingers. Raven had just finished answering most of their questions and explained the next course of action. "How are we supposed to do that?!" Beast boy whined in desperation.

"No, I need to. You guys need to leave." Raven's look was stern, trying to convey the importance of the matter. She was on her feet, using Starfire for support.

"Raven, Beast boy already told us that we might be trapped here forever-"Starfire began.

"No, with my plan, there won't be a Nevermore anymore. We can't take the risk. I have to gather each of my emotions and finish this."

"Maybe they can help, you still need to locate at least three emoticlones _,"_ Knowledge interjected.

"Why can't you do that magic spell thingy like last time to gather them here?" Beast boy asked.

"I don't have enough energy to stand, let alone perform powerful spells at the moment."

"And what if she loses?" Timid immediately whimpered.

"Raven, we're a team. We knew there were risks when we came here and we accepted them. Let us help you. Like you just said, you can barely stand." Robin's face was also stern, but his eyes soft, pleading her to let them stay.

"They will keep you balanced, and in your current condition you can't move very well," Knowledge reasoned.

"If we encounter Rage, I don't know how-"

"And the green one is funny anyway..." Happy added, only loud enough for Raven to hear.

"Enough!" Raven declared furiously. She was glaring at the emoticlones. "I cannot and will not put them in danger! They're my only family!" Just as she was going to switch focus and finish her response to Robin, Rage and Passion appeared in front of the group.

"Found two!" Beast boy exclaimed, eyes wide at Rage.

* * *

On a monitor, a picture of Raven in the infirmary fighting restraints was projected. The angle seemed to be from a high corner of the room that captured some of the view outside.

"So her demon side has finally separated itself and taken over. Her willpower is stronger than I had thought, but I shouldn't be surprised." Slade leaned back in his chair, proud of his handiwork. "S.T.A.R. labs fulfilled my request admirably."

"Sir, someone has responded to the ad and is here." Wintergreen stood at the door to the office, patiently awaiting orders.

"Send him in." _Finally. Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload were not enough to distract the Titans..._

Wintergreen left momentarily to retrieve the guest. "I wonder who- oh."


	7. Chapter 7: An Unlikely Ally

The group stared at Rage, unsure how to react. Beast boy eyed her carefully, hoping she wouldn't grow spontaneously. Robin let his hand hover over his staff. Starfire continued to support Raven, waiting for a signal. Raven carefully studied Rage's face.

"Honestly, I was looking for you to-"

"Really? Didn't notice" Raven interrupted. "Is it to contain me? Or to destroy me?"

"Look, I just-"

"Wanted my body and you have it. What more do you want?" Raven asked with a snarl. At this, Rude appeared. Beast boy glared at her as she settled into the group.

"Will you shut up for a second!?" Rage shouted. "For once I'm not looking for a fight" Rage blurted, knowing Raven would continue to interrupt her with any chance she got. "I'm here to help."

Robin, Starfire, and Beast boy now gave blank stares, having thought, for the most part, that Rage had been behind this whole fiasco.

"I was tricked and seek revenge on the being that is now in control."

Now it was Raven's turn to be surprised. "Fine, let's just hand over control of my body to anyone nowadays..." she fumed. She tried stomping her foot in frustration but forgot about her injury and fell into Starfire from loss of balance. As Starfire helped Raven regain her footing so-to-speak, Raven asked, "did you at least spot Sloth or Brave?"

"Actually, I don't think you have to go searching, Raven" Robin offered.

* * *

"I'm awake!" Cyborg exclaimed as the Tower alarm jolted him from his sleep. If he was reading the clock correctly, he had passed out a few hours ago. The report indicated that Dr. Light was on the loose again, but that wasn't his concern.

Even though he had been in the same room as her the entire time, Raven was gone once again. _Dr. Light is a joke. I need to get Raven back here._ He attempted to locate her like last time, through her communicator, but whatever was controlling her this time had been smart and had ditched it, leading Cyborg off of her trail.

* * *

"That's not the easiest feat Robin, especially for me."

Robin had just proposed his plan of forcing Raven to feel lazy and courageous to make Sloth and Brave to appear, and Raven wasn't warming up to it.

"C'mon, how hard is it to –" Raven's glare pierced Beast boy's eyes.

"It is the fastest conceivable way at the moment. I suggest you try it" Knowledge spoke.

Raven sighed. "Which do you suggest first then?"

Robin put his hand to his chin. _The two emotions contrast each other so much, it would be hard to do either after the other._

"We don't have much time! We need to hurry!" Rage exclaimed, her voice ending in a high note. Rude and Raven gave her a look which said 'no duh'. "We should at least start moving..." Rage muttered.

Raven didn't like it, but she agreed. "Let's talk while searching for the others."

The group began their search by backtracking to where they saw Sloth before. Of course, since Nevermore was constantly shifting, they couldn't tell if they were getting close or not. This gave Raven time to try and feel courage, which was no easy task.


	8. Chapter 8: A Target

"Hello, welcome to Carrie's Comics! How may I help you today?" a high-pitched female voice crackled over the feed. The young woman stood behind a cash register, waiting to help a customer. She looked to be starting high school, but she had already graduated and then some. Based on the screen projection, she was wearing a dark blue sweater with a white button-up underneath and maroon jeans. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail, showing off an earring that sparkled on her right ear. Her eyes were hidden behind the glare of her glasses.

"It's almost time," Slade expressed with delight. He had been observing the girl for weeks now, becoming more and more anxious as time passed. He could almost feel the object he desired in his grasp. As he watched her, he had learned a few things about her. She was an artist, proud to show it off to coworkers but not to try and sell it quite yet.

"Well if you're a fan of superheroines of all shapes and sizes, I would suggest..."

She also seemed to enjoy it when customers wouldn't show up for hours on end and she could draw in her sketchbook. But the biggest thing he learned, and would help secure his plan, was that Raven was her role model.

* * *

"The definition of brave is 'ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage" Knowledge recited.

"Well, what's courage?" Beast boy requested, genuinely curious.

"Courage: the ability to do something that frightens one or strength in the face of pain or grief."

 _"_ Oh, well that's helpful..." Raven muttered.

"Raven, you need to remember that if you let yourself feel in here, your powers won't go haywire. You need to let-"

"It's not easy to just turn it on and off!"Rage and Raven snapped in unison.

An idea struck Robin. "Starfire, how do you summon the emotions necessary for your starbolts?"

"I believe you mean my strength as we have already located Rage. Courage is a part of it, in a general meaning."

"And how do you summon that emotion?" Robin pressed.

"But you've already asked me this...?"

"Not in this sense, please Star, think about it."

"Well, I guess I put faith in our previous victories and hope that we prevail."

Robin grasped Raven's shoulders. Her eyes grew wide at the gesture. "Use that hope you have. Use it to summon Brave. We believe in you."

"Er, um, I don't mean to interrupt, but Sloth is right over there..." Timid mumbled.

* * *

 _Ugh, why does time have to be so slow?_ Arden stared at her watch, waiting for her lunch break. She still had fifteen minutes. To pass the time she continued working in her sketchbook, which had mostly drawings of her favourite superhero team. Most guess the Justice League, but Arden idolised the local heroes: the Teen Titans. One member appeared more than the others, Raven, and it was no secret that Arden admired her.

The tinkle of a bell went off. Arden looked up once again to say "Hello, welcome to Carrie's Comics! How may I help you today?" The customer had headphones in and ignored her, but Arden didn't care. It meant she could go back to drawing. The customer browsed for a few minutes and left without buying anything.

"Only five more minutes...but I'm so hungry..." Arden muttered to herself. She couldn't focus on sketching anymore and stared at the clock. She fiddled with the earring on her right ear, a green gem encased in silver. Once the minute hand struck the twelve, she grabbed her bag, flipped the sign which read "Back in 30 minutes!", and locked the door on her way out. She turned around to be face-to-face with a certain someone.

* * *

"Sloth, you need to come with us. It's urgent." Passion was trying to coax Sloth from the ground.

"We don't have time for this!" Rage fumed. She proceeded to drag Sloth to her feet by her arm. She refused to hold her own weight.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes." Raven had been silent since locating Sloth, and the importance of her involvement became clear to Sloth. She stood on her own, ready as she ever was.

"So, what next?" Beast boy asked.

He was answered by a gasp from Raven and Knowledge simultaneously. "What's wrong?" Robin inquired urgently.

"I have to act now, and you guys need to get out. _Now_." Before the Titans could protest, Raven sent them away to the exit from Nevermore. She didn't get them all the way, but close enough to get out in time.

"We need to go hel-" Starfire began in a frantic worry, but Robin cut her off.

"If we stay, our presence will only distract her. We better get going." He stalked off crossing his arms and taking the lead.

* * *

Arden stood speechless, her forest green eyes wide behind her glasses. It took her an eternity to get her voice back, or it seemed that way to her. She was finally able to whisper "Oh. My. Y-you're, you're Raven."

The voice that came from her mouth was not what Arden was expecting. Instead of the raspy, unused voice she heard over the news and team reports it came from her worst nightmares which she told no one about. "Not the one you're thinking of." The demon summoned dark energy and used it to raise Arden from the ground, first by her wrists. She flinched at the contact; the energy was burning her. "I have control now, and I do what I need to," she explained.

"W-why me?" Arden voiced in barely a whisper. She then gained confidence as she realised her question had merit. "Why target me?" _She waited for my lunch shift when she could have gone after someone on the street._

"Honestly, I only have this body thanks to someone known here as Slade. He struck a bargain with me." As she spoke, the demon Raven let her dark energy coil itself around Arden's neck. The heat was searing her skin, but she refused to cry out and give this being satisfaction. "He said he doesn't care about what happens to you..." The dark energy began to constrict and Arden braced herself, but the darkness never came. Actually, she didn't feel any pressure at all. She noticed a green glow protecting her neck.

"I guess I'll have to get my hands dirty..." the demon stated. She lowered Arden to ground level so she could reach her neck with ease. As the dark energy faded from her neck, so did the glow.

 _Oh shit oh shit oh shit why isn't anyone seeing this?!_ Arden repeated in her head. The demon clasped her hands around her neck, squeezing with all of her strength. Before Arden passed out, she could hear arguing from right in front of her.


	9. Chapter 9: Knocked Out

"You all know what to do, so get it done quickly. On my signal, destroy Nevermore. It's now or never." Raven folded her legs into the lotus position. _Fight my fears, gain confidence, we need to win this._ She continued to think positive fighting words in her head as she chanted her mantra.

"Let's kick butt!" Raven didn't need to open her eyes to know it had worked. The cumulative energy from all the emoticlones allowed Raven to gain control of her body once more.

"No, you will not do this to an inno-" Raven's raspy voice broke through the demon's façade.

"You're too late!" The demon continued to apply as much pressure as she could muster while Raven was regaining control.

"No!" _Now!_ As the emoticlones destroyed each of their dwellings, Raven chanted her mantra once again. Knowledge's library crumbled as Happy's mountains exploded. With each section of Nevermore vanishing, the emoticlones evaporated, leaving their emotions with Raven. As her powers got more volatile and the demon side of her fought for control, Raven made a quick decision. Arden tensed up with pain as the spell was cast. After the deed was done, Raven and Arden lay on the sidewalk in front of Carrie's Comics, both unconscious.

* * *

Cyborg sat on the park bench, looking at his arm. He was scrolling through police reports as they came, searching for any sign of Raven. _How can I lose a girl this many times in a week?!_ He had been hunting down Raven nonstop since he woke up early that morning. He had called in Titans East to take care of Dr. Light and told them he would explain later.

All of a sudden the screen lit up with a new report about two young women unconscious a few blocks west of his location, and one of them was wearing a dark blue cape.

* * *

Beast boy's screams could be heard as the group fell through the trans-dimensional portal once again. The journey seemed quicker this time as darkness followed them. Beast boy squeezed his eyes shut to prevent himself from getting dizzier.

"Is he alright?" Cyborg's voice broke the silence.

Beast boy cracked his eye open, unsure of what he would find. The trio was back in the infirmary along with Cyborg. "Phew."

"What took you guys so long? It's been a few days since this mess started."

The trio explained, as best they could, the events they had experienced. After they told their side, Cyborg told them what he had gone through and why Raven was still strapped down to the bed.

"Who's that Cyborg?" Robin inquired, gesturing to the second bed. A young woman, still in her teens, though in her later years, laid on the bed unconscious. The group walked over to her bed and observed her. She seemed to be in excruciating pain, bandages covered her wrist and neck, and bruises were faint but starting to form past the cotton on her throat.

"I'm not sure. I'm running her fingerprints through the system, but judging by her age she's probably not in there unless she's committed a crime before. I found her with Raven."

"Why is friend Raven not waking?" Starfire questioned, wrapping her arms around herself. Raven was still unconscious and unmoving. "Shouldn't she be awake now?" Starfire's voice quivered as she spoke.

All of a sudden, the sound of glass shattering filled the room. Robin located the source quickly, the smallest object in the room that they had just come out of. Raven's meditation mirror was now broken into several pieces without anyone touching it.

* * *

Her body ached with pain, physical, mental, and emotional, all at once. The scars she bore in every sense burned, her injuries stinging as if they were fresh. Memories flashed through her mind like a movie, a recap of her life on repeat: Azarath, the monks, her studies, her arrival to Earth, meeting the Titans, their many battles. Her mistakes stood out to her: refusing to confront her fears, trusting Malchior, Trigon's assent, among others. But victories also followed: forming a strong bond with Starfire after switching bodies, helping Robin overcome his Slade issue, sharing her experience with Beast boy and truly thanking him for saving her life as the Beast, comforting Cyborg on multiple occasions, protecting her young superhero friends. The time with the team had forced her to grow, to become who she wanted inside, not just the spawn of the incarnate of evil, but a Teen Titan, a superheroine, a true friend. But there were those who had violated her trust, like Terra, and infuriated her. There was a push and pull from good to bad memories. The emotions she suppressed throughout those times clawed their way through her, forcing her to acknowledge them and their complexity. Raven realized it was natural, even for her, to feel.

She only repeated one thing.


	10. Chapter 10: A Conclusion?

Several days had passed and both ladies were still unconscious. Somehow, black energy kept exploding things, even though Raven was passed out on the bed. Luckily, the medical equipment was untouched. The restraints had been removed in light of what the trio told Cyborg. Each titan was so worried for their friend and the young girl they found with her, that none of them left the room for very long if they had to leave. They continued to fight crime over the days, as criminals never rest, but their thoughts were always on the infirmary.

They had discovered that the young adult's name was Arden Grace Foley. Her place of work had filed a missing person's report when she had disappeared mid-shift.

It wasn't until a week and a half after the original incident, that Raven began to stir. Beast boy was napping on her lap as a cat, keeping her close company. Robin was pacing the room, convinced that he could've, and should've, done something to prevent this. Cyborg was constantly checking and rechecking Raven's vitals to pick up any change. Starfire was fast asleep in a chair in the corner, recovering from another all-nighter.

Without warning, Raven's eyes flew open and she sat straight up. Immediately she became dizzy, and she felt the ache of her wounds. Her right hand, with her wrist in a splint, flew to her forehead. _Right, haven't been able to heal myself..._ The barrage of emotions in the room gave her a worse headache and made her nauseous. She observed in slow-motion it seemed the realization on Robin and Cyborg's faces. Robin immediately rushed to her side as Cyborg woke Starfire, Beast boy having been jolted awake by Raven's movement.

"Where's Arden?" were the first words out of her mouth.

"She's fine, just over there, but Rav-" Cyborg motioned to the bed closer to the door.

"Help me over to her- please" she cut him off.

Cyborg, reluctantly, lifted her from the bed and placed her upright next to Arden's bed. He continued to support her, making sure she wouldn't fall if she blacked out.

Raven's eyes went big, even though she knew what she, or really her demon side, had done. Feeling her tense up, Cyborg explained "It looks worse than it is. The burns are second degree, not too deep. The bruising will last for a while but her throat will heal within a few weeks."

"That won't be all..." Raven whispered.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"To stop my demon side and save her, I transferred my powers to Arden." Starfire's hand shot up to her mouth. "I'm not sure how it will affect her, but the sooner I can relieve her, the better." Raven placed her hand on the unusually pale girl's forehead. Her face was scrunched up in pain, but the rest of her body seemed frozen. The spell she casted was inaudible except for the last three words: "Zinthos Metrion Azarath."

The affect was immediate. Arden's body released the tension it had been holding since her first encounter with Raven and she let out a breath she seemed to be holding. Her eyebrows were still furrowed in slight pain, but she looked more comfortable than before.

As for Raven, she used up the little energy she had to perform the spell. After seeing Arden was better, she fell unconscious, but the Titans knew she was okay now. She was levitating.

* * *

Cyborg entered the infirmary to find Raven meditating, again. "Okay, seriously, you should be resting. Your injuries are still healing even with your 'doctor' powers."

Raven turned her head to the right, putting Cyborg at the edge of her vision. She was in the lotus position, as closely as she could with her ankle, on the bed, not levitating. "The more I meditate, the faster I will regain control over my powers again" she stated curtly.

"Well if you refuse to rest, let's go eat. I'll make waffles..." he taunted, ending in a sing-song tone.

Raven sighed. She rose from the bed, gingerly putting weight on her ankle. Both her wrist and ankle were in braces, in the final stages of healing. Raven cursed Rage's recklessness once again, but then hastily regained calm, unsure how her powers would react. The little color in her skin had returned long before now, within a few days of her awakening. She attempted levitating to prevent walking, but even that was difficult at the moment.

"So, powers still recuperating?" Cyborg inquired.

"I expected as much, but it's still frustrating," Raven admitted. Cyborg put out his arm for support if she needed it. For the most part, she could walk on her own, but every few feet or so her ankle gave out and she fell onto his arm. They passed Arden's bed, where she was still recuperating. She had yet to wake up. Raven paused at her bed, worry clearly in her eyes. "She'll be fine, just give her a few days." Cyborg consoled.

"I don't think it's that simple," Raven confessed. When Cyborg have her an imploring look, she decided to tell him about her vision. "Before this all happened, I had a, premonition? In it, I saw a young girl in pain, the same girl, but different, with her sister, and the team suffering. I'm positive Arden is the girl in my vision."

He pondered her words before responding, "it's not all set in stone though, right?"

"Not necessarily, but-"

Cyborg cut her off, "then you shouldn't worry about it so much."

They stood in silence for a few minutes before starting the trek to the main room.

"Cyborg?" she asked cautiously, nervous about what she was about to say.

"Yea Raven?" he asked as he turned to her as best he could while still supporting her.

"I just wanted to say, thank you. For everything. Just, thank you."

Cyborg knew what she was communicating and didn't need an explanation. "I'll always be here for you Rae." The smallest of smiles climbed onto Raven's face.

When the duo reached the front room, Robin and Starfire were already there. Cyborg helped Raven to the table where she raised her ankle to rest it. Beast boy dragged his feet in wiping at his eyes after them. "Alright y'all, who's ready for some waffles!?"


End file.
